Qassem Rejects Disarmament and Direct Negotiations: A Project Paving the Way for Genocide and Serving the Occupation

The Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, reiterated the party's adherence to its weaponry as a fundamental element in the Lebanese deterrence equation, calling on the Lebanese government to review its policies regarding confining arms to the state. Qassem considered that the executive authority is required to stand by the people in confronting existential threats, instead of adopting options that weaken national power elements and leave the country exposed to aggressions.

Qassem pointed out in a televised speech on the occasion of the Resistance and Liberation anniversary that official Lebanese concessions have been unjustified during the past period. He noted that these concessions reached the point of attempting to criminalize the resistance, which the party sees as a reflection of internal and external pressures aimed at changing Lebanon's security and defense doctrine at a sensitive time.

Regarding international pressures, the Secretary-General stressed that American sanctions will not succeed in weakening the party's structure or deterring it from its strategic choices. He affirmed that the escalating calls for disarmament are merely an attempt to strip the country of its defensive capabilities, describing this path as a prelude to acts of genocide that Lebanon might face amidst continuous Israeli ambitions and escalating regional tensions.

Qassem linked any discussion about the defense strategy and the future of weaponry to first stopping the comprehensive aggression on Lebanese territories. He clarified that the top priority currently is the liberation of prisoners and ensuring the dignified return of displaced persons to their villages and cities, indicating that talks about internal security arrangements cannot take place under fire or political pressures directed from abroad.

Qassem described the project of exclusive weaponry at the present time as directly serving the Israeli agenda, considering that weakening the resistance is a strategic goal for the occupation. He sharply criticized the performance of the Lebanese authorities, asserting that if the government is incapable of protecting national sovereignty and securing the country, then its departure becomes a national necessity to make way for stronger options.

On the ground, the Secretary-General vowed that the resistance's drone weaponry would continue to pursue Israeli occupation soldiers in all locations. He affirmed that documenting these operations through aerial photography is what forces the Israeli side to acknowledge its heavy losses, which it tries to cover up by targeting civilians and safe homes in the steadfast southern villages.

On the political front, Qassem announced the party's absolute rejection of any form of direct negotiations with Israel, considering them a free gain for the enemy. He clarified that any negotiation path must preserve Lebanon's full rights without making concessions that affect sovereignty or grant the occupation legitimacy it does not deserve, especially in light of its continued aggression in the region.

On an internal matter related to economic pressures, Qassem defended the Al-Qard Al-Hasan institution, affirming that it is a legal institution licensed by the Lebanese state. He revealed that the institution provided its services to about 300,000 subscribers last year through a gold collateral system, which helped a wide segment of citizens cope with the suffocating living crises the country is experiencing.

The Secretary-General stressed that the sacrifices made by the people and the resistance will not be in vain, affirming that the extent of destruction and killing will not break the party's will. He said that the battlefield is the decider, and that the coming days will prove the resistance's ability to steadfastness and achieve what he described as the third liberation, despite all the military and political challenges surrounding the Lebanese arena.

Qassem concluded his speech by expressing hope that regional understandings, specifically between the United States and Iran, would lead to an end to the state of war in the Middle East. He emphasized the necessity for any major settlement to include the protection of Lebanon and the guarantee of its stability, announcing the party's commitment to rebuilding all that the occupation destroyed and ensuring the return of residents to their homes immediately after the aggression ceases.

Disarmament practically means stripping Lebanon of its defensive capability, which is a prelude to genocide amidst continued Israeli aggressions.